Air release mechanism for dispensing apparatus



June 16, 1936. P. RIFFITH 2,044,727

AIR RELEASE MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet -l June 16, 1936. c. P. GRIFFITH AIR RELEASE MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 27, 1928;

Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR RELEASE MECHANISM FOR DISPENS- ING APPARATUS Clement P. Griflith, Fort Wayne, Ind.,'assignor to S. F. Bowser & Company, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Continuation of application Serial No. 302,195, August 27, 1928. This application December 10, 1931, Serial No. 580,143

55"". a wait 18 Claims. (01. 221-95) and efiicient means for releasing air from a gasoline supply line and combining such air release mechanism with an automatic operating valve for cutting oif the flow of gasoline until the air has been released in the gasoline line.

Another object of my invention is to protect the meter against the measurement of air which may come from either leaks in the pipe line, or when the gasoline or other liquid in the container has been exhausted.

Still another object of my invention resides in the provision of an air release mechanism for a liquid dispensing system of the type wherein liquid is constantly forcedthrough a displacement type of meter mechanism to operate the same and through the dispensing line when the valvecontrolled nozzle therefor isopen, and wherein an air separator is inserted in the liquid flow line in advance of the meter, the air separator including a restricted combined air and liquid discharge port which because of its restricted cross section causes the main volume of liquid to passto the meter while permitting air to pass freely therethrough at all times and permitting only a restrictedbut constantly flowing stream of liquid to pass therethrough during the dispensing operation, and wherein additional separating means connected to this restricted port is provided for separating the air and liquid passing through said restricted port, said separating means including a portion constantly open. to the atmosphere to discharge the separated air to atmosphere and including a recovery line for constantly returning the recovered liquid back to the system, the recovery line including means for preventing air from the atmosphere passing to the recovery line during the dispensing operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a combined air release. and shut-off valve mechanism for efiecting the release of air from a liquid supply line anclcuttingoff liquid flow therein until the air has been released.

A further object of the invention isthe provision of a combined air release and shut-off valve mechanism forpreventing air from reaching the meter in the liquid supply line.

A further object. of the invention is the provi- I sion of an improved and eflicient pilot valve connected to a main valve combined with means for initially opening the pilot valve to equalize the pressure on both sides of the main valve and thereby facilitate the opening of such mainvalve.

One of the objects of my present invention is the provision of an air release placed at an elevationabove the sight discharge and the meter whereby to keep them in proper primed condition at all times.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings' Fig. 1 illustrates a system of dispensing apparatus embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the checkvalve for controlling the supply of gasoline to liquid holding tank;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the details of my combined air releas and shut-off valve mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. I e

The air release mechanism herein disclosed functions equally as well when the liquid in the dispensing system is circulated by either a compressed air system, as shown in Fig. 1, or when supplied by any other type of pumping mechanism desired. In the present instance I have shown the liquid circulating means as comprising a compressed air system.

Referring to Fig. 1 showing the adaptation of my combined air release and shut-01f mechanism to air pressure operated dispensing apparatus, 5

designates a tank which is adapted to be buried in the ground and it may be filled by means of the fill-pipe 6 with gasoline or other liquid which is to be dispensed and into which also flows the recovered liquid during the dispensing operation.

Preferably within the larger storage tank 5 and at the bottom thereof is a relatively smaller stor age tank 1 from which the liquid to be dispensed 3 is caused to pass through a liquid flow line to the dispensing'apparatus, and in the present instance by air pressure delivered on top of the liquid contained within this tank 1 as hereinafter explained. When the pressure in the tank --1 is relieved, gasoline in the main supply tank 5 may flow by .gravity through the check-valve device 8 into the smaller tank 1.

I In Fig. 2, I have illustrated the details of the 7 construction of the check-valve device 8. The

valve e1ement9 opens toward the chamber ill but prevents backfiow of the liquid from the smaller tank 1 into the tank 5 when air pressure is introduced into the tank 1. When the cap [I is removed the valve body |2 may be lifted out of the larger tank 5 by means of the rod I3 after the valve body I2 is unscrewed from the valve casing |4. After the valve element 9 and its seat are cleaned or re-ground it may be replaced by means of the rod i3 and the cap ll be replaced, as shown in Fig. 1.

A globe valve |5 controls the supply of air pressure which may be a receiving tank (not shown) to which the pipe I6 is connected. Adjacent the globe valve |5 may be located an air pressure reducing valve |1'which may be set for an air pressure of approximately ten pounds per square inch in the supply pipe l8. The pressure gauge l9 may be located in the supply |9 so as to be at the left of the air pressure reducing valve |1 shown in Fig. 1. At the bottom of the pipe l8 at a relatively low position is a water trap 20 with a pet-cock 2| at its lower end for the purpose of removing the accumulated water. The water trap 2|] and the air pressure reducing valve II are preferably located inside of the building, a wall of which is shown at 22, so that accumulated water cannot freeze. The apparatus shown to the left of the wall 22 may be outside of the building.

Connected to the pipe l6 above the water trap 20 is a pipe 23 to which are connected the branch pipes 24 and 25 which lead upwardly to the uppermost connections of the controlling valve mechanisms 26 and 21 of the dispensing units 28 and 29, respectively. When the operating lever 30 of the dispensing unit 28 is moved upwardly the valve 26 is operated to connect thesource of air pressure supply to the pipe 3| which is connected to the top of the tank I. In the same manner, when the operating lever 32 of the dispensing unit 29 is moved upwardly the source of air pressure supply is connected to the pipe 33 and through certain ports in the valve 26 to the pipe 3|. When the operating levers 39 and 32 are moved down to their horizontal positions shown in Fig. 1, the pipe 3| is connected through the valve mechanisms 26 and 21 to the pipe 34 which is connected to the vent pipe 35 leading from the top of the larger tank 5 to the air vent protector 36. Safety or air pressure relief devices 31 and 38 may be placed so as to relieve the pressure in the pipes 24 and 25 when-pressure exceeds the set predetermined limit, for instance, fifteen pounds per square inch.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by operating either of the levers 36 or 32 of the dispensing units, air pressure may be introduced into the top of tank 1 above the supply of liquid therein and when this occurs the valve element 9 shown in Fig. 2. will be automatically closed. when both levers 36 and 32 are in their horizontal positions the pressure in the tank 1 will be relieved, because the pipe 3| will be connected through the valve mechanisms 26 and 21 to the pipe 35 which is vented to the atmosphere.

when this relief of pressure in the top of tank 1 occurs the gasoline in the tank 5 will flow by gravity through the eway 39. into the chamber II as shown in Fig. 2, thus replenishing the supply of gasoline in the tank 1.

When the operating lever 36 is moved upwardly the valve 46 in the gasoline supply line will be opened and the air pressure on the liquid in the tank'lwillthencausethegasolinetoflowfrom .the tank 1 to the nomle 4| connected to the end of the hose 42, provided the lever 43 is actuated by the operator to open the valve located at 44 between the hose 42 and the nozzle 4|. Flow through the gasoline line will be upwardly through the pipe 45 and the line valve 46 to the pipe 41. The line valve 46 is a check-valve which opens upwardly from the pipe 45 toward the pipe 41 and prevents backflow from the pipe 41 to the pipe 45. The flow of gasoline continues upwardly along the pipe 41 to the air release 48 which is preferably located above the sight discharges 49 and 50 of the dispensing units 28 and 29 whereby to keep them constantly primed with gasoline or other liquid. The pipe 41 is connected to the port 5| of the casing 52 of the air release device 48. The gasoline flowing into the port 5| strikes against the semi-circular bailie plate 53 so as to direct upwardly any air entrapped in the pipe 41.

The top of the casing 52 is provided with a constantly open but restricted vent opening 54 which is connected by air and liquid separating means comprising the downwardly slanting pipe '55 to the air or liquid separating means or stand pipe 35. It will be understood that whenever gasoline or other liquid is forced through the inlet 5| through casing 52 through outlet 64 thereof to the meter, it will flow in the divergent path in a rela tively small stream through the restricted vent 54, the downwardly inclined pipe 55 to stand pipe 35 and thence backwardly through the recovery line to the liquid containing tank 5. During the dispensing operation it will be noted that the air from the atmosphere cannot pass in through valve ports 9 and I0 together with the gasoline passing therethrough into tank 1 because of the liquid seal between the lower end of pipe 35 and the entrance to the liquid supply tank I. This liquid seal is formed by the liquid contained in tank 5 thus forming effective means preventing atmospheric air reaching the supply line during dispensing. It will also be apparent that the stand pipe 35 and particularly in connection with downwardly slanting pipe 55 forms an eifective means connected to the restricted orifice 54 for permitting air and liquid discharging through port 54 to separate, the air upon separating passing upwardly through the outlet 36 while the liquid passes downwardly by gravity through the recovery line 35. When the tanks 5 and 1 become nearly exhausted of gasoline, air enters the pipes 45 and 41 and thereforewhen the storage tank is refilled with gasoline and the gasoline in the pressure tank is replenished, the initial upward flow of the gasoline from tank 1 through the pipes 45 and 41 will force the air in the latter into the air release casing 52 and'this air will escape through the restricted vent 54 of the pipe 55 into the pipe 35. When sufilcient gasoline enters the casing 52, the float 56 therein will be lifted to cause the rod 51 at the bottom of the float to lift the pilot valve 56 oil its seat to open the port 59 at the center of the main valve 66. To the bottom of the pilot valve 59 is connected a stem 6| which is guided through a central bearing in the main valve 66 and through the fixed bearing 62 at the center of a spider connected to the bottom of the valvecasing 52. The port 59 may also be in the form of openings through a spider which is connected to the main valve 66 and at the same time serves as a sliding bearing for the stem 6|. When the pilot valve 56 is lifted by the float 56, a flexible joint at 63 will permit free vertical movement of the stem 6|. When the pilot valve 56 opens the port 59 the liquid flowing in the casing 52 through the port 56 toward the port 64 will 7 but when suflicient liquid enters the chamber of the casing 52 to cause the float to rise, the pilot valve 58 will first be opened and subsequently the main valve 68 so that gasoline or other liquid will flow simultaneously through the port 64 to' the meter and also through the constantly open, restricted port 64 to pipe 55 to pipe 35 to tank 5. Limit stops 66 may be located on the inner walls of the casing 52 to limit the upward movement of the float 56 so that the latter will not close the vent 54. When desired, the screw-threaded plug '61 may be removed to permit drainage of accumulated sediment at the bottom of the casing 52. The casing 52 is preferably made in two sections detachably connected together by means of the bolts 68 so that when desired, access may be had to the valves for cleaning and regrinding.

When the main valve 60 is fully open the gasoline is free to flow into the pipe 69 and thence upwardly through the branch pipes 18 and H. Hand-operated globe valves 12 and 13 control the upward flow of the gasoline from the pipes 10 and ii to the screen filter devices 14 and i5. The gasoline continues upwardly through the pipes 16 and H to the valves 48 and 18, respectively. The pipes 19 and 88 lead upwardly from the valves 80 and 18 to the meters 8! and 82 which may be of the type shown in the Blum Patent No. 1,423,597, granted July 25, 1922, for an improvement in meters..

After passing through the meters 8| and 82 the gasoline continues upwardly through the standpipes 83 and 84 to the sight discharges 49 and 58 and thence to the hoses 42 and 85. The free ends of the hose may be connected to a valve controlled nozzle such as shown at the left-hand side of the dispensing unit 85 in Fig. 1. This is the wet hose system, but a dry hose system may be used, in which event it is preferred to provide at 86 and 87 manually operated valves.

The dispensing units 28 and 29 may be of that type having pointer and dial mechanism 88 and 89 operated by the meters 8| and 82 with mechanism for re-setting the pointers to zero by means of the knobs 98 and 9|.

Extending to the bottom of tank I is a pipe 92, the upper end of which is provided with a vent 93 closed by a plug 94. When this plug is removed so as to vent the pipe 92 to the atmosphere, air under pressure introduced into the tank 1 through the pipe 3| will be effective in cleaning out the accumulated sediment in the bottom of the tank I. To effect this cleaning operation the valve l may first be closed, the plug 94 then removed, and the valve l5 then slowly opened while one of the levers 38 or 32 is in its upper position. i

It should be noted that an important function of the air release and shut-off valve mechanism shown in-Fig. 3 is to prevent the passage of air to either meter 8| or 82 if the delivery of the gasolin'e through either or both of the dispensing units 28 and 29 is of suificient'quantity to exhaust the gasoline in the auxiliary tank I before it is replenished with gasoline. If such continuous operation of either or both of the dispensing units should take place the device 48 acts auto matically to eflect a closure of the gasoline line by the closure of the valves 58 and 68, thereby preventing the flow of air into the meters BI and 82 which may be sufliciently sensitive to cause the air to operate them if air were permitted to pass through them.

It can readily be seen by referring to Fig. 1 that if the connection to the tank I from the source of air pressure supply continues after the tank 1 has insuflicient gasoline therein to cause flow thereof into the pipe 45, the air will flow through the latter and be vented by the device 48 to the atmosphere- I have above pointed out the manner in which air is removed when entrapped in the pipes 45 and 41 after the tank 1 is substantially empty of gasoline and the pressure from the source of air pressure supply is cut oif.

It should also be understood that the total area of. the pilot valve 58 combined with the main valve 68 is sufiicient to enable the pressure which builds up the inside of the air release to hold these valves closed. The float is such that it does not possess upwardly both of the valves 58 and 68 when the cross-pin 65 strikes the bottom of the main valve 68.

It will thus be seen that I .have provided an air separator particularly adaptable for a liquid dispensing system of the type wherein liquid is passed through the liquid flow line by any suitable means, be it by air pressure or by any other liquid forcing means in common use, and wherein this liquid is delivered through the flow line and through the meter under pressure to operate the meter, and to thence flow through the dispensing hose, past the valve-controlled nozzle thereof when the valve is opened. In this type of liquid dispensing apparatus I have inserted my air separator in the flow line in advance of the meter. This air separator includes a constantly open but restricted port which functions to compel the main volume of liquid to pass out the flow line discharge port 64 to the meter, which will at the same time not only permit air constantly to pass through this restricted port 64, but will also permit a relatively smaller stream of liquid constantly to flow through the restricted port 64 during the dispensing operation. Furthermore, I provide this restricted port with a communicating means which permits the air and liquid passing through the restricted port to separate and this means includes a constantly open discharge to the atmosphere for discharging the separated air to atmosphere and the recovery line for returning the constantly flowing restricted stream of liquid to the system, and also includes means for preventing air from the atmosphere reaching the recovery line during the dispensing operation. Thus I have-provided a device which will automatically and continuously eliminate air from the system and from the liquid being dispensed before the liquid passes to the meter, thereby .obtaining correct measurement of the liquid and elimination of the air takes place continuously during the dispensing operation, the' air being discharged directly to atmosphere and the recovered liquid flowing continuously back to the system where it is again passed through the flow line.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make variouschanges in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended and I wish therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 302,195, filed August 27, 1928.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispensing system for liquids comprising a gasoline line and a casing having an inlet and an outlet connected to the gasoline line, with the top of the casing vented to the atmosphere, a float in said casing, a pilot valve, a main valve, said valves controlling the flow of liquid through said outlet, and connections between said float and said valves to cause the pilot valve to open prior to the opening of the main valve.

.2. In a dispensing system, the combination with a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its lower portion and a vent to the atmosphere in'the casing, a main valve for controlling the outlet port, a pilot valve adapted to open prior to the opening of the main valve, and connections between said float and said valves to cause the float to first open the pilot valve and let the liquid pressure he equalized on both sides of the main valve before the latter is opened.

3. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its lower part and a vent to the atmosphere in its upper portion, a float in said casing, a main valve for said outlet port, a pilot valve at the center of said main valve for controlling a port through the central portion of said main valve, and connections between said float and said valves to open the pilot valve first and subsequently pick up the main valve and open the same.

4. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its lower portion, a main valve for controlling the flow of liquid from said outlet port,

a pilot valve for said main valve to facilitate opening of the latter, and a float connected to said valves to first open the pilot valve and then the main valve. 1

5. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing with an air vent in its upper portion and inlet and outlet ports in its lower portion, a main valve for the outlet port, a pilot valve for the main valve, a float within the casing, and connections between said float and said valves to efiect initial lifting of the pilot valve to open a port through the main valve and subsequently lift the main valve to open the outlet port.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising a supply reservoir, a gas andliquid separator having a gas discharge port and a liquid discharge port, means for passing the liquid from the supply reservoir to said gas and liquid separator, a stand -for controlling the flow of liquid from said air rephere, and a liquid recovery chamber communieating with said pipe.

'7. A dispensing system for liquids comprising a gasoline line anda casing having an inlet and an outlet connected to the gasoline line, with the top of the casing vented to the atmosphere, a float in said casing, a pilot valve, a main valve, and connections between said float and said valves to cause the pilot valve to open prior to the opening of the main valve.

8. In a dispensing system, the combination with acasing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its lower portion and a vent to the atmosphere in the casing, a main valve for controlling the outlet port, a pilot valve adapted to open prior to the opening of the main valve, and connections between said float and said valves to cause the float to first open the pilot valve and let the liquid pressure be'equalized on both sides of the main valve before the latter is opened.

9. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its lower part and a vent to the atmosphere in its upper portion, a float in said casing, a main valve for said outlet port, a pilot valve at the center of said main valve for controlling a port through the central portion of said main valve, and connections between said float and said. valves to open the pilot valve first and subsequently pick up the main valve and open the same.

10. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing having a vent in its top, of a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from said casing, a float in said casing connected to said valve to operate the same, and means for limiting the upward movement of said float to prevent the same from closing said vent.

11. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing having an inlet port and an outlet port in its lower portion, a main valve for control ing the flow of liquid from said outlet 7 port, a pilot valve for said main valve to facilitate opening of the latter, and a float connected to said valves to first open the pilot valve and then the main valve.

12. In a dispensing system, the combination with an air release casing with an air vent in its upper portion and inlet and outlet ports in its lower portion, a main valve for the outlet port,

a pilot valve for the main valve, a float within lease to said dispensing unit, a float in said air release for controlling said shut-off valve, means for venting the air release to the atmosphere, and a connection for directing overflow of liquid from said air release back to the source of supply.

14. Liquid delivery apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid flow system including a liquid supply reservoir, and a liquid flow line leading from said liquid supply reservor to a dispensing nozzle, a displacement meter in said line, a gas separator in said line in advance of said meter to remove gases from the liquid delivered through the meter, said separator comprising a casing forming a chamber having an inlet port 76 connected to the delivery line, said inlet port being disposed in the lower portions of said casing, a gas-free liquid discharge port connected in the delivery line, said discharge port being located in the lower portions of said casing, a restricted gas discharge port in the upper portions of said casing,

a valve for said gas-free discharge port, float means within the casing for controlling said valve 15. Liquid delivery apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid flow system including a liquid supply reservoir, a liquid flow line leading from. said liquid supply reservoir to a dispensing nozzle, a displacement meter in said line, agas separator in said line in advance of said meter to remove gases from the liquid delivered to the meter, said separator including a casing forming a chamber having an inlet port connected to the delivery line, said inlet port being disposed in the lower portion of the casing, and said casing having a gas-free liquid discharge port located in the lower portion of said casing, said casing having a restricted discharge port in the upper portion of said casing, and a plurality of valves for said gas-free discharge port, one of said valves being smaller than the other of said valves, said plurality of valves having a combined area of such extent that the pressure created within said chamber, due to the restricted discharge port, during dispensing is suflicient to hold said valves normally closed, a float disposed within said chamber and being of insuflicient buoyancy to lift'said plurality of valves, said float, however, having sufiicient buoyancy to raise the smaller of said valves to permit flow therethrough to equalize the pressure on opposite sides of said other valve whereby to raise both of said valves, receiver ,means associated with said gas discharge port for receiving 'gas and liquid discharged from the casing through said port, said receiver means serving to separate the gas from the liquid received through said restricted port and said receiver means having means to vent the gases directly to atmosphere, and said receiving means having a liquid flow return line back to the liquid flow system. I

16. An apparatus of the class described comprising a liquid flow system including a supply reservoir, a gas and liquid separator having a main separator chamber provided with a main of liquid are continuously flowing during dispensing, and additional gas and liquid separating means connected to said restricted discharge I for separating the liquid from the gas passing through said restricted discharge, said additional separating means having communication with the atmosphere, and a liquid recovery conduit communicating with said additional separating means for returning the restricted flow of liquid back to the system.

17. A liquid delivery apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid flow system including a liquid supply reservoir and a liquid flow line leading from said liquid supply reservoir to a dispensing nozzle, a displacement meter in said line, a gas separator in said line in advance of said meter to remove gases from the liquid delivered through the meter, said separator having a main separator chamber having a main liquid discharge port connected to said flow line, means for forcing liquid under pressure from the supply reservoir to said separator and through said meter and through the dispensing nozzle, means for controlling the liquid flow through said dispensing nozzle, said separator chamber also having a constantly opened but restricted liquid and gas discharge through which gas and a relatively small volume of liquid will constantly flow during dispensing, and an additional gas and liquid separating means conarating means for returning the liquid passing main separator chamber provided with a main liquid discharge port, a flow line connected to said liquid discharge port, a meter in said line,

said meter having a dispensing discharge line,

means for forcing liquid under pressure from the supply reservoir to said gas and liquid separator and then through said meter and dispensing discharge line, means for controlling the liquid flow through said dispensing discharge line; said gas and liquid separator having also a constantly open but restricted liquid and gas discharge through which gas and a relatively small volume of liquid are continuously flowing during dispensing, and an additional gas and liquid separating means connected to said restricted discharge comprising a downwardly extending liquid conduit through which the liquid passing through said restricted port is adapted to flow, said downwardly depending conduit having an upstanding pipe having its upper end disposed above the downwardly depending conduit and above the separating chamber and open to at- -mosphere, said downwardly extending conduit having a liquid receiving return pipe connection with the system.

CLEMENT P. GRIFFITH. 

